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One of the most frequent questions I’m asked at Maker Faire is what the difference between Arduino and Netduino is. If you think it’s that the Netduino is just an Arduino that has something to do with the internet, you’d be incorrect! While the Netduino is an open source microcontroller that looks like a black and blue Arduino, the key difference is that it’s programmed using the Visual C# .NET programming language developed by Microsoft. This makes it perfect for people that are already familiar with .NET and don’t want the hassle of learning another variation of code.

Thanks to the Maker Shed’sGetting Started with Netduino Kit, learning to use this ARM based microcontroller is easy! This full featured package includes the Getting Started with Netduino book by Chris Walker, the creator of the Netduino platform. By following along in the book and using the included components you’ll learn how to:

The Maker Shed is brought to you by Maker Media, the makers of MAKE Magazine, the Maker Faire, and much more.

Launched originally as a source for back issues of MAKE Magazine, the Maker Shed expanded rapidly to meet the demand for ‘projects in a box,’ otherwise known as kits. Now we have a little bit of everything for makers, crafters, and budding scientists, from Arduinos to sock monkeys to chemistry sets .

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I only wish it were ture that “the Netduino is just an Arduino that has something to do with the internet”. Unfortunately, as it currently stands, it’s an excellent infection vector through which Microsoft patent warfare can, and most likely will, one day be waged upon the Open Source Hardware community by our friends from Redmond. You know, the company whose CEO called OS “anti-american” and a “cancer” and described OS developers as “terrorists.” He’s still the CEO there, and judging by his actions he hasn’t changed his mind.

Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. If you choose to go down that road, fine, but please don’t drag the rest of OSH community down with you.

The tiny investment in learning another programming language will more than pay for itself with freedom from Redmondian whims and threats.

Ac

Don’t the Arduino team have a trademark on Arduino? If so what’s with the lack of defense of it? Netduino should be standing on their own two feet… Not squatting on a “duino” name that suggests it is Arduino compatible.

Even this article has to try to clear the air, because the Netduino people made a choice to confuse the market. That’s the Arduino teams fault for not protecting their trademark against obvious abuse!